In Google’s eyes, websites using HTTP are not secure, so it is marking them as such, starting in the Chrome 68 web browser. Find out why Google is taking this stance.

If you use the Google Chrome web browser, there is an upcoming change that might be alarming you if you are unprepared for it. Beginning with version 68, the browser will flag all HTTP pages as “Not secure” in the omnibox (i.e., the search/address bar at the top of the browser). Google is planning on releasing the Chrome 68 web browser sometime in July 2018.

This change is part of Google’s push to get more companies to transition their websites from HTTP to HTTPS. Both HTTP and HTTPS are protocols that allow different systems to communicate with each other. Typically, they are used to transfer data between a web server and a web browser. However, these protocols differ in one important respect: HTTPS creates a secure encrypted connection for the data to flow through, while HTTP does not. This means that the data flowing through an HTTP connection can be intercepted by hackers, which can be particularly troublesome when credentials, payment card numbers, and other sensitive information is being sent.

If your business’s website uses HTTP, you might consider making the transition to HTTPS for several reasons:

Your website will be more secure.

If you do not switch, your website will be flagged as “Not secure” by many Chrome web browsers. This might scare off website visitors, including existing and potential customers.